Plant Optimization & Focused Improvement Manager

The Plant Optimization & Focused Improvement Manager is responsible for leading Plant Optimization deployment at the site level, ensuring alignment with regional strategies and best practices. The position serves as a primary change leader, driving mindset and behavior shifts to embed Plant Optimization principles across the plant. It leads and develops the FI/IE organization, fosters a strong continuous improvement culture, and partners with regional FI/IE leadership and practitioners to deliver sustainable cost savings and process improvements through the effective application of Lean, Six Sigma, and other FI/IE tools.

The role also supports knowledge sharing, training, and collaboration across plants and the region to accelerate performance excellence.

What You'll Do

You will provide direction and support to the Plant Leadership Team in building and sustaining Plant pillar teams.

You will provide leadership direction to, and leverage, Plant Optimization (PO) Specialists to ensure effective execution of PO plans.

You will work closely as a partner with PO Practitioner(s) to ensure effective deployment of pillar methodologies.

You will act as a key member of the Plant Steering Team and report to the Site Manufacturing Director.

You will lead Plant Optimization steering committee meetings to ensure alignment and progress.

You will monitor plant and business team pillar performance versus plan and ensure corrective action plans are in place where needed.

You will report progress, results, and risks to plant and regional leadership.

You will maintain Business Team KPIs and capture, document, and communicate lessons learned.

You will follow the “One Goodyear Way” to drive standardization across the company.

You will communicate best practices and benchmark with other plants to drive performance improvement.

You will create and nurture a “learn by doing” environment and develop frameworks for collaborative learning.

You will identify pitfalls and roadblocks and provide regular updates to the Regional Plant Optimization Leader on implementation status and risks.

You will participate in all pillar processes to maintain a strong working knowledge of pillar methodologies.

You will attend Business Team leadership meetings as required.

You will ensure effective processes and forums exist for education, communication, and progress tracking.

You will partner closely with Practitioners (Goodyear) to provide tire manufacturing process expertise and organizational insight to ensure sustainable Plant Optimization deployment.

You will implement machine capacity versus requirement analysis, machine layout optimization, and manning requirements across multiple facilities and functions.

You will drive continuous improvement across the organization by planning, leading, and facilitating cross-functional project teams.

What We're Looking For

You have a Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience.

You have a minimum of 5 years of experience in a leadership role within a manufacturing environment.

You have experience driving and implementing continuous improvement methodologies and tools.

You have working knowledge of, and/or hands-on experience implementing, Lean principles in a manufacturing environment.

You demonstrate the ability to lead change and deliver measurable business results.

You have very strong communication skills, with a good command of English and local language(s).

What Will Set You Apart

You demonstrate strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

You demonstrate strong program and project management competency.

You demonstrate proven leadership and team-building skills.

You have knowledge of tools used in Lean and Continuous Improvement (CI).

You are computer literate.

You have the ability to lead and direct cross-functional working groups.

Goodyear is one of the world's largest tire companies. It employs about 68,000 people and manufactures its products in 51 facilities in 19 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio, and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg, strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance…